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Tribit StormBox Flow review: A tag-along speaker for all-day listening
The Tribit StormBox Flow can pump the jams for a whole day, but it does end up a little harder to tote.
Tribit has made a splash with its portable Bluetooth speakers, and the new Tribit StormBox Flow is positioned to offer powerful sound you can take with you and enjoy all day. Better yet, it's a steal at $80 compared to the many similar speakers that cost well north of $100.
Anker Soundcore Motion 300 review: A petite portable speaker with big sound
Petite, powerful, and cheap
The Soundcore Motion 300 is the kind of product that makes you question why everything else is so expensive. It’s not audiophile (though it has LDAC support), but it sounds very good, has lots of volume, comes with a robust EQ that adapts depending on its positioning, and does all this for a ridiculous price.
Google Pixel Watch 2 review: The watch we wanted last year
Reliable battery life and improved fitness tracking, wrapped up in a near-identical package
The original Google Pixel Watch was my favorite smartwatch last year, but I've always felt that opinion was against my better judgment. Google's first smartwatch looked fantastic and performed very well, but at a premium price of $350, its weak battery life just took too much babysitting to make it a solid recommendation for most people.
Polar H10 review: Connected heart rate monitoring with a catch
Best-in-class heart rate tracking let down by a crummy companion app
Back in 1982, a small Finnish start-up called Polar Electro released the first consumer-grade, wireless heart rate tracker. It was one of the earliest wearable fitness devices on the market. By the 1990s, it had created not just software to analyze the data its heart rate monitors were producing, but software that could detect heart rate variability and software to help users target specific heart rate zones.
Roborock Q8 Max Series review: A meticulous robot vacuum with basic mopping
Flawless vacuuming coupled with excellent navigation and obstacle detection
During their early days, robot vacuum cleaners had fairly limited navigational and mapping capabilities, resulting in them happily bumping into your furniture and walls to find their way around your house. Things have greatly improved since then, with almost all modern models featuring LiDAR technology, allowing them to map their surroundings and navigate effectively and precisely.
Apple Watch Series 9 review: Still my favorite wearable
It might not work with Android, but Apple continues to place its claim on my wrist
Allow me to let you in on a little secret. Despite the fact that my position as the Phones Editor of an Android-focused website means I'm almost always carrying an Android phone (or two, or three) in my pockets, my wrist is usually adorned with an Apple Watch. After more than half a decade across three different Android wearables — dating back to the first-gen Moto 360 — I first picked up the Apple Watch Series 5 in 2020, finally giving in after Google seem bored with its own platform.
Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro review: Gamer chic
It performs like a gaming keyboard but offers a refined low-profile design
I appreciate a thocky gaming keyboard as much as the next person, but if you’re looking for a sleeker, more Instagram-worthy setup, Razer may have the answer with its DeathStalker V2 Pro. The company aims to maintain the performance you’d expect from a high-end mechanical keyboard while looking slim and professional on your desk.
Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 review: Productivity on point
Subtly sweet software and sturdy hardware make for a dependable laptop
A new generation of Chromebooks is upon us! The Chromebook Plus series aims to pull Chromebook specs into the present and help users find the best Chrome OS experience without having to obsess over numbers and standards. (After all, that’s my job.) This is a promising idea, taking the guesswork out of buying a great Chromebook for consumers while also providing a clear standard for Chrome OS devices moving forward.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review: Paying for near perfection
Don't just block out the world; refill it with rich stereo sound
Bose headphones have been a bit stagnant in the last few years, as the QuietComfort 45 saw some iterative updates but no huge steps forward. And for the “normal” QuietComfort that re-debuted last month, that iteration continues, but Bose is finally mixing things up again for the first time since the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.
Jabra Elite 10 earbuds review: Comfort is king
These earbuds are great for when comfort is a priority
When it comes to the best wireless earbuds, there’s not one that’s best at everything. Some come closer than others, but one will be best-in-class for sound quality while another for active noise cancellation (ANC), and another for something else. In the case of the Jabra Elite 10 reviewed, it’s comfort. While a little more subjective than ANC so some people might disagree, I consider these earbuds to be among the best fitting and most comfortable earbuds out there.
OnePlus Open review: What every foldable should be
Leave it to OnePlus to supply the competition Samsung so desperately needs
Just one year ago, foldable fans in North America were stuck lamenting their lack of choice in the market. Don't like Samsung? You can take your luck importing one of several China or Europe-exclusive options from brands like Oppo or Honor, or keep biding your time while hoping someone arrives with a more exciting option. And considering Samsung once again delivered the slightest of refreshes on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 this year, most enthusiasts knew the latter wouldn't be an option.
JLab JBuds Mini review: Big battery life in a tiny package
They may be mini, but these JBuds punch above their weight
When I use the Jbuds Mini, I’m reminded of a scene from the movie Moneyball. A recently acquired player learns that, unlike other teams around the league, the Oakland A’s make players pay for soda in the locker room. When he asks management about it, he’s informed that the team likes to keep the money on the field — giving them the best chance to win.
Anker Soundcore Motion X600 review: A portable Bluetooth boombox
Powerful, portable, affordable... and in boombox form!
While many fine Bluetooth speakers are out there, most are just for personal use. Or, at best, for providing background music for a small gathering. The Soundcore Motion X600 is in the minority of Bluetooth offerings insofar as it has the power to keep the music going for a pool party, backyard BBQ, or a gathering of a similar size.
H2O Audio Tri Pro headphones review: An ill-fitting 'upgrade'
They may be waterproof, but these headphones probably aren't what you want for a triathlon (or anything else)
Swimming is a great workout, but it’s boring as dirt. At least that’s how I felt swimming all through high school. The H2O Audio Tri Pro attempts to be the ultimate answer for that boredom, promising to let you listen to music, podcasts, or whatever else while you’re swimming and, as the name suggests, running and cycling as well. Using bone conduction, they play audio through your cheek bones, keeping your ears unobstructed so you can maintain the situational awareness you need in those contexts.
Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Living up to its name
If you want to see the future of Google, the Pixel 8 Pro is the phone to buy
What do we want smartphones to be? While smaller OEMs may settle for cranking out excellent, reliable phones year-in and year-out, the giants of the mobile world seem to be interested in bigger, more existential questions. For five generations, Samsung has experimented with foldable form factors, allowing a smartphone to grow as large or as small as you need to fit the tasks at hand. Apple, meanwhile, seems focused on delivering an ecosystem its users love — even as life inside its walled garden grows staler by the day.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC review: Punching above their weight
Budget buds that don't sound too cheap
Let’s get straight to the point. If you’re in the market for one of the best cheap true wireless earbuds right now, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC by Anker should be on your short list. After all, paying less than $100 for a pair of earbuds usually comes with sacrifices, whether that’s having a limited amount of features but great sound or having tons of features with sub-par audio.
Blink Outdoor 4 review: Set it and forget it
The Blink Outdoor 4 camera system would make Ron Popeil proud with its outstanding two-year battery life
Outdoor camera setups can be quite a pain. Depending on the type of coverage you desire, you may need to run cables and connectors, all the while hoping there is a power outlet close enough to make it all work. While there are plenty of wireless options, Blink throws its hat back in the ring with the Outdoor 4. It boasts a wider viewing angle, better picture quality, and improved motion alerts for an overall enhanced experience over the Outdoor 3. In addition, Blink claims to have maintained the two-year battery life on a pair of AA batteries, keeping it relatively low maintenance.
Technics may not have the same name recognition as the Sonys and Boses of the earbud market, BUT it’s a name that’s adorned many an entertainment center or Hi-Fi rack since it launched in 1965. While it hasn’t stopped making the premium turntables that made it a Hi-Fi mainstay, Technics has also brought some of that premium quality and audiophile heritage to its flagship AZ80 earbuds. That pedigree doesn’t come cheaply at $300, but every bit of the quality you’d expect from an audiophile-first company is there to justify that price. Even if it doesn’t top our list, the AZ80s are a contender for the best earbuds money can buy.
Android 14 review: Predictable progress
Google doesn’t need to change the formula to create an enticing mobile experience
After months and months of beta testing, Android 14 has finally arrived in stable. There was a tremendous buildup of excitement around this release after the rather lackluster Android 13, which only introduced some small refinements following the big Android 12 design refresh on Pixel phones. Android 14 certainly stays true to the look that Google established with Material You two years ago, but it adds much-needed refinement and customization to the mix. While the beta was buggier than usual, the final release is making up for this long period of bugs with tons of new features, thoughtful design improvements, and a more polished experience all over the place.
Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni robot vacuum review: Low maintenance, high price
It's expensive, but the Deebot X2 Omni is one heck of a robo-vac
If you haven't been following it closely, you could be forgiven for not knowing that the smart vacuum space has gotten crowded in the past few years. Companies like iRobot, Roborock, and Dreametech release new models at a breakneck pace, with new, high-quality smart vacuums and mops hitting the market at what seems like a monthly cadence.